Confused Ends

Chapter 7: The Decision

After eating a hearty dinner with his mom in silence, Tom belched loudly. She flinched, than looked at him with piercing eyes. "Excuse me." He called out quickly, not wanting to fluster his mom. Pushing her empty plate off to the side of the table, she cleared her throat. The dog had been laying at Tom's feet for a while now, but raised his head at the abrupt sound. "So," she toddled, tapping the fork on her plate. "There's a new school being built about a mile away from here." Tom looked up from his empty plate, glaring at his mom intently. "Really?" A grin crossed his face, one that was impossible to hide, which caught his mom's attention almost immediately. "Yes, but I don't think you would want to go there, would you?" She stared at him directly now. She always had a good way of cornering him into opening his heart to her. "No, I really would!" He said, banging his fist on the table. Adrenaline surged through his body as he thought of a new beginning, or a "clean slate" so to say. "Well, then I guess it's settled." She said, standing from her chair and grabbing her plate. "Well, I'll be off then. Make sure to put your dish in the dishwasher before you go to bed!" Slipping away, she quickly strode to her room, passing the colorful abstract paintings that lined the walls. Tom turned around just in time to see her close her bedroom door with a click. "Hey mom?" Tom called, while stretching on his stiff chair. "Yes?"she called back, her voice slightly muffled by the distance. "I'll be outside, okay?"Tom started to grab his plate and stand up slowly. "Alright, but be home by Twelve!" Tom grinned, pleased by his own mischievous thoughts.